From James Croll 15 February 1869
Edinburgh.
Feby 15th 1869.
Dear Sir,
I am much obliged to you for the copy of Scientific Opinion you sent me containing an abstract of Canon Moseley’s admirable paper on the motion of glaciers1
I have a curious incident to tell you, regarding the matter. The reading of the abstract thoroughly convinced me that the generally received theory of glacier motion, which I believe is that of Tyndall’s,2 must be given up and that some other explanation must be sought. Strange to say, this conviction had hardly got time to settle down, if I may so express myself, before, what I fully believe to be the true cause suggested itself. The cause is so simple, so beautiful, and obvious that I wonder that it should have escaped observation so long.
I have drawn up a short account of the matter and have sent it to the Phil. Mag I have requested Dr Francis to send me two copies of proof and when they come to hand I shall send you one3
I am | Yours very truly | James Croll
Charles Darwin Esq MA FRS
Footnotes
Bibliography
Croll, James. 1869. On the physical cause of the motion of glaciers. Philosophical Magazine 37: 201–6.
Tyndall, John. 1860. The glaciers of the Alps. Being a narrative of excursions and ascents, an account of the origin and phenomena of glaciers, and an exposition of the physical principles to which they are related. London: J. Murray.
Summary
Thanks for abstract of Moseley’s paper on motion of glaciers [see 6599]. Reading it convinced him that Tyndall’s received view is wrong. Has formed a new view, which he has sent to Philosophical Magazine [4th ser. 37 (1869): 201–6].
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-6616
- From
- James Croll
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Edinburgh
- Source of text
- DAR 161: 264
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6616,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6616.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 17
